Thursday, 12 January 2017

Michael Jackson’s family outraged at Joseph Fiennes’ portrayal of the pop icon

The first look at Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson in the
controversial “Urban Myths” comedy has angered the pop icon’s family.

The trailer for the British show, released Wednesday, shows Fiennes on a
road trip from New York to Ohio after the 9/11 attacks with Elizabeth
Taylor (Stockard Channing) and Marlon Brando (Brian Cox).Paris Jackson, said that she’s “so incredibly offended” by the “Urban Myths” trailer and Fiennes’ appearance.She tweeted

“It honestly makes me want to vomit,” “It angers me to see how obviously
intentional it was for them to be this insulting, not just towards my
father, but my godmother (Elizabeth Taylor) as well. Where is the
respect? They worked through blood, sweat and tears for ages to create
such profound and remarkable legacies. Shameful portrayal.”

The original casting of the white actor was met with backlash when it was announced.

A petition set up after the initial announcement has more than 20,000
signatures of people promising to boycott the show, originally called
“Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon.”
Taj Jackson, the singer’s nephew, echoed those sentiments.

“Unfortunately this is what my family has to deal with,” he tweeted. “No words could express the blatant disrespect.”